NAME

       refile - file message in other folders

SYNOPSIS

       refile [msgs] [-draft] [-link | -nolink] [-preserve | -nopreserve] [-unlink | -nounlink]
            [-src +folder] [-file file] [-rmmproc program] [-normmproc] +folder1 ...  [-version]
            [-help]

DESCRIPTION

       Refile  moves  (see  mv(1)) or links (see ln(1)) messages from a source folder into one or
       more destination folders.

       If you think of a message as a sheet of paper, this operation is  not  unlike  filing  the
       sheet of paper (or copies) in file cabinet folders.  When a message is filed, it is linked
       into the destination folder(s) if possible, and is  copied  otherwise.   As  long  as  the
       destination folders are all on the same file system, multiple filing causes little storage
       overhead.  This facility provides a good way to  cross-file  or  multiply-index  messages.
       For example, if a message is received from Jones about the ARPA Map Project, the command

            refile cur +jones +Map

       would allow the message to be found in either of the two folders `jones' or `Map'.

       You  may  specify the source folder using -src +folder.  If this is not given, the current
       folder is used by default.  If no message is specified, then `cur' is used by default.

       The option -file file directs refile to use the specified file as the source message to be
       filed,  rather  than  a  message  from  a  folder.  Note that the file should be a validly
       formatted message, just like any other nmh message.  It should NOT be in mail drop  format
       (to convert a file in mail drop format to a folder of nmh messages, see inc(1)).

       If  a  destination  folder  doesn't  exist,  refile  will ask if you want to create it.  A
       negative response will abort the file operation.  If the standard input for refile is  not
       a  tty,  then  refile  will not ask any questions and will proceed as if the user answered
       “yes” to all questions.

       The option -link preserves the source folder copy of the message (i.e., it  does  a  ln(1)
       rather  than  a mv(1)), whereas, -nolink (the default) deletes the filed messages from the
       source folder.

       Normally when a message is refiled, for each destination folder it is assigned the  number
       which is one above the current highest message number in that folder.  Use of the -preserv
       switch will override this message renaming, and try to preserve the number of the message.
       If  a conflict for a particular folder occurs when using the -preserve switch, then refile
       will use the next available message number which is above the message number you  wish  to
       preserve.

       If  -link  is  not specified (or -nolink is specified), the filed messages will be removed
       from the source folder.  The default is to remove these messages by renaming them  with  a
       site-dependent  prefix (usually a comma).  Such files will then need to be removed in some
       manner after a certain amount of time.  Many sites arrange for cron to remove these  files
       once a day, so check with your system administrator.

       Alternately, if you wish for refile to really remove the files representing these messages
       from the source folder, you can use the -unlink switch (not to be confused with the  -link
       switch).  But messages removed by this method cannot be later recovered.

       If  you  prefer  a  more  sophisticated  method of `removing' the messages from the source
       folder, you can define the rmmproc profile component.  For example, you can add a  profile
       component such as

            rmmproc:  /home/coleman/bin/rmm_msgs

       then refile will instead call the named program or script to handle the message files.

       The  user  may  specify  -rmmproc  program  on  the  command line to override this profile
       specification.  The -normmproc option forces the message files to be deleted  by  renaming
       or unlinking them as described above.

       The -draft switch tells refile to file the <mh-dir>/draft.

FILES

       $HOME/.mh_profile          The user profile

PROFILE COMPONENTS

       Path:                To determine the user's nmh directory
       Current-Folder:      To find the default current folder
       Folder-Protect:      To set mode when creating a new folder
       rmmproc:             Program to delete the message

SEE ALSO

       folder(1), rmf(1), rmm(1)

DEFAULTS

       `-src +folder' defaults to the current folder
       `msgs' defaults to cur
       `-nolink'
       `-nounlink'
       `-nopreserve'

CONTEXT

       If  -src  +folder is given, it will become the current folder.  If neither -link nor `all'
       is specified, the current message in the source folder will be set  to  the  last  message
       specified; otherwise, the current message won't be changed.

       If  the  “Previous-Sequence”  profile  entry  is  set,  in  addition to defining the named
       sequences from the source  folder,  refile  will  also  define  those  sequences  for  the
       destination  folders.   See  mh-sequence  (5)  for  information  concerning  the  previous
       sequence.

BUGS

       Since refile uses your rmmproc to delete the message, the rmmproc  must  NOT  call  refile
       without specifying -normmproc, or you will create an infinite loop.